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Species protection
There are a wide range of political commitments within the EU aiming at protecting nature and biodiversity, with species conservation at the forefront. In order to achieve its objectives, the Habitats Directive provides for two main instruments: the Natura 2000 network of protected sites and the species protection provisions under the Birds and Habitats Directives.
The provisions for species protection apply to the whole of a Member State’s territory and concern the physical protection of specimens as well as their breeding sites and resting places.
Both regimes allow for exceptions under certain conditions. Both instruments are complementary and jointly aim to ensure a favourable conservation status for all species of Community interest.
Effective implementation of Article 5 of the Birds Directive and Article 12 of the Habitats Directive requires full, clear and precise transposition by Member States.
Measures taken by the Member States when implementing the provisions under the Directives should always be proportionate and appropriate to the objective pursued, i.e. maintaining and restoring favourable conservation status.
Bird species
Under the Birds Directive all Wild Birds occurring in the European Union are protected. The different annexes of the Habitats directive determine which instruments are available for other species. Most species are covered by more than one annex and therefore are subject to a combination of instruments, i.e. a combination of conservation approaches and measures. Wild birds and species listed in Annex II and IV benefit from complementary, twofold protection within Natura 2000 sites.
For the habitat of 192 threatened Birds, listed in the Birds Directive - Annex 1, special conservation measures shall be taken. For some of the globally threatened bird species regularly occurring in the European Union action plans have been developed.
Within the concept of sustainable hunting the Birds Directive allows for certain species, listed in Annex II, to be hunted. Management plans for 13 huntable bird species which are considered to be in an unfavourable conservation status, have been established.
This website also provides ornithological information relevant to Avian Influenza and the Wild Birds Directive.
Other species
Strict protection measures adopted under Article 12 of the Habitats Directive must contribute to fulfilling the main objective of the Directive, namely maintaining or restoring a favourable conservation status for animal species listed in Anne IV (a).
In February 2007 the European Commission published a guidance document on the strict protection of animal species of Community interest under the Habitats Directive 92/43/EE.
Good knowledge of a species (range/distribution, occurrence, biology, ecology, threats & sensitivity, conservation needs, etc.) and regular surveillance of its conservation status over time (as required in Article 11 Habitats Directive) are essential preconditions for any meaningful conservation strategy. Cooperation at EU level and transboundary cooperation might be essential for certain species. An EU framework for assessing conservation status was agreed by Member States in April 2005.
A comprehensive assessment was carried out in 2005-2007 on the conservation status of mammals at European level - the European Mammal Assessment.
Large carnivores are the widest ranging mammalian species that we have in Europe, and their conservation presents many challenges.
The Habitats Directive requires Member States of the European Union to take requisite measures to establish a system of strict protection for all cetaceans in European waters.
EUNIS biodiversity database -
the most comprehensive information system on species.
Find species, habitats and sites across Europe
